4 Sweden: some basic factsPopulation > 9 millionSize roughly equivalent to QuébecGovernment elected by modified proportional representationComplex and flexible system with several quirksCurrent government: right-centre coalition led by the Moderate Party (conservative)Next election: September 2010

7 Popular opinion on migrationNot as ‘troubled’ as other European countriesCritical dividing point is on the asylum systemNegative side: concern over ‘bogus’ refugees and enclaves, parallel livesPositive side: support for humanitarian policies including asylumComplex relationship to party politics (e.g., Social Democrats)

8 Swedish immigration policyEU migration: open borders, unplanned, unregulated, invisible immigrantsOpen Labour Market but not social supportMentality of Sweden as part of EuropeNon-EU migration: permanent immigration is dominated by family reunification and asylum (mostly from Islamic countries) (nearly 90% of total)Mentality of immigration as a gift to outsiders who are victims (public debate is about asylum and ethical issues)Very different from Canada

10 Integration in Sweden Swedish society defined by:AffluenceWelfare state with an ethic of redistributionGoal of gender equalityTransparency of the state and the private sphereWidely shared cultural normsAsylum migration (especially from Islamic countries) is popularly interpreted as a potential challenge to these core valuesFrequent statements by Sweden Democrats reinforce these views

11 Managing Swedish migration and integrationNational governmentMinistry of Justice includes Minister for Migration and Asylum policy (Tobias Billström)Ministry of Integration and Gender Equity (Nyamko Sabuni)Establishes integration policy, standards and provides fundingMinistry of Employment (LM issues and employment assistance) (T. Billström, as of 7 July!)Regional government: Negligible roleMunicipal government: Key roleDevelops and administers most programsAdult educationSocial work and counsellingSocial housingSome examples of inter-government cooperationNegligible role for NGOs and other partners

13 Special case of asylum Similar to Canada, but some key differencesWith temporary humanitarian visa, there is an offer of housing (ABO vs. EBO)Context of social housingSelf-housed asylum seekers live in large citiesState-housed live in peripheryMunicipalities have a choice to participateInteresting connection between asylum and funding for municipalitiesEconomic outcomes…Recently, asylum seekers entitled to work permitsBut exceptionally low employment rates

14 Changing migration policyAs in Canada, parties are not very far apart but there are some significant differencesLeft alliance: SDs determined to disperse immigrants and refugees (“we will not let refugees live where they choose”)Right alliance: determined to raise economic immigrationNot through open-ended system like CanadaBy opening existing employer-driven system of stepwise immigration … actively planning and building pathwaysCautious approach with input from org. labour

15 Changing integration policySweeping change planned for December, 2010, if Moderate party is still in powerSense of failed outcomes in refugee and family integrationProcess of ’recentralization’Areas of municipal responsibility will be shifted to the national Ministry of EmploymentFocus will be on preparation for employment, with stronger incentives to work (e.g., bonuses)Core indicator of success will be acquisition of a jobAside: EU defined integration measures for all states to use in 2009 (Sweden led this initiative)Dominated by employment, income, education

17 Perspective of the newcomer‘One-stop shopping’ for servicesPlan is for ‘personal coach’ for each newcomerUnclear whether the left coalition would support this… but unlikelyMunicipal governments will resist change

18 Aside: on data How does the Swedish government monitor outcomes?Population register data system… all records linked for individualsWidely available to researchers(note: there is no census)Excellent ‘hard’, longitudinal data; poor ‘soft’ data

19 Challenges of the Swedish systemDominance of high-need asylum newcomersRegionalization through housing policyUnsatisfactory economic outcomesPerceived ghettoization in larger citiesE.g., riots in Malmoe in June, 2009Potential for hostile public debateLimits policy developmentGeneral lack of policy-research interfaceSocially, immigration is eclipsed in importance by focus on fertility and reproduction

20 The lessons of SwedenPolicy evolution does not necessarily only go in one directionPolicy cycle: devolution and then reconcentrationExcellent data helps in evaluating program outcomesSwedish population registry is a 100% data systemWidely available in government and to academic researchersSurprising outcomes (e.g., housing of asylum seekers)

21 Sweden as ‘Europe light’Sweden has all the debates of Europe, but less of the acrimonyMigration issues muted by demography; no sense of urgencyAlso muted by tradition of social democracy and the welfare stateUnfortunately, the less rancorous debates in Sweden are unlikely to influence other European countriesStrong interest in Canada on the part of SwedesPotential for new debates as employers become more prominent in the immigration system